Light weight panel construction

ABSTRACT

A LIGHT WEIGJHT RIGID PANEL CONSTRUCTION INCLUDING A PLASTIC CORE MEMBER HAVING A PLURALITY OF CONCENTRIC CORRUGATIONS, RIGID FRAME MEANS POSITIONED IN THEOUTERMOST OF THE CORRUGATIONS, TENSIONING MEANS CONNECTING DIAGONLLY OPPOSITE CORNERS OF THE CORE MEMBER, AND COVER MEANS ON EACH FACE OF THE CORE MEMBER.

March 13, 1973 J, D, HARMAN 3,720,032

' LIGHT WEIGHT PANEL CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. v17, 1970 .2 F/af Il 4 ,Il

O/ il l la lNvENToR y /34 JAMES D. HARMAN j msi/250x, /tw/zgf gw( United States Patent O U.S. Cl. 52-618 8 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE A light weight rigid panel construction including a plastic core member having a plurality of concentric corrugations, rigid frame means positioned in the outermost of the corrugations, tensioning means connecting diagonally opposite corners of the core member, and cover means on each face of the core member.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a panel construction, and more particularly to a light weight, rigid panel construction.

Although panels are known which include a core member and facing panels or covers over the core member, many of the prior art constructions of this type have been seriously disadvantaged in that they are frequently either too weak or too heavy to be of use in the construction industry. Although these core-type panels represent a substantial weight saving over solid panels such as wood, making the core of a material such as a honeycomb material or a cellular material has usually not provided suiciently rigidity to the panel to be useful for large sizes.

Another problem arises with prior art types of cellular core panels, particularly when these panels are utilized for doors. Inasmuch as the door requires some type of hardware such as hinges, doorknobs, locks, and the like, the use of this type hardware with cellular doors has been diicult if not impossible with rnany of the prior art constructions due to the nature of the panel being hollow very near to its edges.

Accordingly, the primary object of this invention is to provide a rigid, light weight panel construction of the core type.

A further object of this invention is to provide a panel construction which combines the advantages of a cellular core and a solid core panel.

Another object of this invention is to provide a panel of simple construction.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide a panel'construction which is rigid andl has strength to resist forces in all directions.

Yet, another object of this invention is to provide a light weight panel construction which combines a plastic member with a wood member to form the core of the panel.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide a panel construction having a core including a plurality of concentric corrugations.

Yet a further object of this invention is to provide a panel construction which includes tensioning means for pre-stressing and thusly strengthening the panel.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a panel construction which may be readily iilled with insulating material.

These and other objects and advantages for this invention will become apparent when considered in light of the following description and claims when taken together with the drawings in which:

FIG. l is an exploded fragmentary perspective view of the panel of this invention;

3,720,032 Patented Mar. 13, 1973 lCC FIG. 2 is a front elevation of the panel of this invention with the cover removed;

FIG. 3 is a View along lines 3-3 of FIG. 2 and viewed in the direction ofthe arrows;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary View of a portion of the core of this invention; and

FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of an alternate embodiment of a panel formed according to this invention with the cover removed.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIMARY EMBODIMENT Referring now to FIG. 1, a panel generally designated 10 is shown and consists of a core portion 12, a front panel 14 and a rear panel 16. The core 12 is formed as to have a plurality of corrugations 18. The corrugations 18 are formed in such a manner as to have a generally rectangular cross-sectional configuration, and are uniform throughout the core member 12, and are concentrically arranged. rIhis concentric arrangement of the corrugations 18 provides increased rigidity to the core member 12 in such a manner that the core 12 resists bending in all directions. Furthermore, the fact that the corrugations are of generally rectangular cross-sectional configuration provides structural rigidity against forces applied to the core 12 perpendicularly to the core 12.

To add even further structural rigidity to the core member 12, the outermost corrugation 20 has a rigid filler 22 disposed therein. This ller is preferably made of wood, however, other suitable materials could be utilized such as particle board, synthetic resins, or the like. One advantage of using wood as the rigid 'filler 22 is that it permits use of hardware such as hinges, doorknobs, and the like in the conventional manner that does not require special equipment or hardware.

The corrugated core 12 is preferably formed 'by a vacuum forming process in which a plastic sheet is drawn into a mold to produce the desired conguration. Any type of plastic which may be formed in this manner can be used, provided it is of sufficient thickness as to impart the desired rigidity of the finished core.

The filler 22 in the outermost corrugation 20 is xed at the corners as by a suitable joint such as the miter joint shown, a tenon joint, a dovetail joint or the like.

As seen in FIGS. 2 and 4, tensioning members 24 are diagonally arranged on the core member 12, These tensioning members 24 are preferably steel straps or cables. The members 24 are secured to the filler 22 by any suitable means, and in FIG. 4 the use of staples 26 for securing the tensioning members 24 to the ller 22 is shown.

After the core 12 has been formed, and the filler 22 and tensioning members 24 positioned on the core 12, the front panel 14 and the rear panel 16 may be secured to the core 12 by any suitable means. It has been found convenient to adhesively secure the panels 14 and 16 to the core 12 by a suitable adhesive.

DESCRIPTION OF AN ALTERNATE EMBODIMENT FIG. 5 illustrates an alternate embodiment of this invention wherein a core 2S is formed in a manner similar to core 12 of FIG. l. However, in this embodiment, the corrugations 30 are generally oval, elliptical or circular. As in the primary embodiment, however, the corrugations 30 have a generally rectangular cross-sectional conguration, and are concentrically arranged.

To add rigidity in the corners of the core 28, portions 32 are formed similarly to corrugations 30, however, portions 32 are not continuous. Around the periphery of core 28 is a generally rectangular corrugation 34 which serves to receive filler member which would be similar to the filler member 22 in the primary embodiment. Similarly, tensioning members would be secured to the filler members and front and rear panels (not shown) would be secured to the core member 28 to produce the finished panel.

In either of the foregoing embodiments, any of the corrugations of the core but the outermost corrugation may be filled with a sound, heat or fire insulating material such as asbestos ber, glass fiber, mineral wool, or the like. Furthermore, the plastic material used to form the core and, the face panels may include a fire retardant composition of the type known in the art such as halogenated hydrocarbons, ammonium compounds or the like.

Furthermore, in addition to the rectangular embodiments illustrated, the panel may be formed in other shapes as required, particularly round, oval, or the like.

While this invention has been described, it will be understod that it is capable of further modification, and this application is intended to cover any variations, used and/or adaptations of the invention following in general, the principle of the invention and including such departtures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which the invention pertains, and as may be applied to the essential features hereinbefore set forth, as fall within the scope of the invention or the limits of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A rigid panel construction including:

(a) a sheet material core member having front and rear faces and a plurality of concentric corrugations having alternating peaks and valleys,

(b) said alternating peaks and valleys having substantially planar surfaces,

(c) rigid frame means positioned in the outermost only of said corrugations for imparting rigidity to said panel and substantially filling the outermost of said valleys,

`(d) tensioning means connecting diagonally opposite corners of said core member,

y(e) panel members secured to said peaks of said corrugations on said front and rear faces of said core member, and said panel members being substantially coextensive with said core member.

2. A rigid panel construction as in claim 1 and wherein:

(a) said core member comprises light weight plastic,

and

(b) said rigid frame means includes a wooden frame member.

3. A rigid panel construction as in claim 2 and wherein:

(a) said tensioning means comprises tensioning bands fastened to said wooden frame member.

4. A rigid panel construction as in claim 3 and wherein:

(a) each of said corrugations are substantially rectangular.

5. A rigid panel construction as in claim 3 and wherein:

(a) the outermost of said concentric corrugations is rectangular, and

(b) each of the remainder of said corrugations is substantially arcuate.

6. A rigid panel construction as in claim 5 and wherein:

(a) the outer periphery of said panel construction is plastic.

7. A rigid panel construction asin claim 6 and includ- (a) insulating means disposed in each of the remainder of said concentric corrugations.

8. A rigid panel construction as in claim 5 and wherein:

(a) at least some of said arcuate concentric corrugations are discontinuous.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 629,448 7/ 1899 Leaver 52-615 1,241,685 10/1917 Van Dorn 52-618 2,386,098 10/1945 Englund 52-223 3,584,427 6/ 1971 Johnston 52-473 FOREIGN PATENTS 170,595 2/ 1922 Great Britain 52-615 69,257 5/ 1945 Norway 52-620 JOHN E. MURTAGH, Primary Examiner J. L. RIDGILL, J R., Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 52-458, 625 

